Aberrant
by YouBetterGarNot
Summary: Found half dead from hypothermia and injuries, a fox cub is taken in by a medicine cat apprentice.


**I'm back after about five(seven?) months. Sorry for being gone for so long! Also, if you have a suggestion for the summary or title please do comment. Thanks!**

 **{~~~•~~~}**

A branch crackled as the fox cub lost its footing in the chilling wind. Every breath she took froze her lungs for a moment and sent shivers down her spine.

The she-fox caught a strange scent and chased after it, hoping it wouldn't lead her to snapping jaws and glaring angry eyes. As the snow fell harder, crystalizing at this point, she fell as well. The cub tripped and was covered in snow that bit her with coldness like the snarling jaws bit her in the ear. She cut herself with a sharp frost-covered stick that had caused the impact. Shaking from both the cold and fear, she stood up and sprinted towards the scent.

The pungent scent hit her nose and she jumped backwards into another furry creature. It was tall and a bit different from a fox. So this is a cat? She wondered, scanning the cat from head to toe. Faster than the wind itself, the cat suddenly hissed, sending the fox fleeing. Another smaller cat sprang at her, barely missing her hind leg. She yelped and ran, the deep snow pulling her down with its large white paws. A cat bit her tail and she struggled to get out of its grasp.

Not more snapping jaws! She screamed in her head as blood trickled down her tail and stained the white snow into a red. Her hind paws kicked frantically as the other cat jumped on her. Remembering what her mother had taught her, she fell limp. The cats must have never seen a fox do this, for they started to leave.

She tried not to leap up and attack the cat cub that had joyfully bounced around and yowled on and on about killing her, the evil fox. After they were a good distance away, she lifted herself up. Freezing and badly hurt, she sat wanting to be in a warm den snuggled up to furry familiars once again. She shook her head and slowly limped away to another unfamiliar scent.

If this one doesn't go well, hopefully the third one does. She thought, and put pressure on the front of her paw. Yelping spread across the air like dandelion seeds in the warm spring. Her heart fluttered, and she tried to overcome the fact that lay in front of her. She was cold, hurt, and homesick.

A sweet honey melody filled her ears as she couldn't think straight. The cub fell asleep as the snow gave her a unwanted blanket.

 **{~~~•~~~}**

As cub opened her eyes, she found herself surrounded by moss and strange looking plants. Her vision was a sliver blurry and she was confused, but she no longer was hurt by the jaws of the cats and the snows'. A fluffy white cat with ginger points smiled at her. It was a sincere smile, not faked like many smiles she had been given.

"Hello young one, do you.. do you understand me?" The cat seems kind enough, it wouldn't hurt me to answer. Would it? The she-fox thought as she wrapped her tail around her.

"I do." She faintly whispered. The cats' eyes became wide with excitement while her face shone through with confusion.

"You. You do?"

"Yes."

"Then can you tell me your name?"

"Poppy."

"Well hello Poppy." The she-cat smiled again, which she seemed to do frequently.

"You're not going to eat me, are you?"

"Eat you? Where did you get such a ridiculous idea?"

"But, I am a fox. You aren't going to hurt me?"

"Of course not! I could never hurt a kit, no matter what species." She paused and stared at Poppy's injuries. "My name's Gingerleap, you're safe here. Walk around a bit, if you like. Just don't go outside."

"Why not?"

"Let's just say many cats don't like living with foxes." Or foxes living at all, Gingerleap didn't need to add nor did Poppy want to hear it.

"Where am I?"

"In Leafclan, where you are safe with me."

"Will the agitated cats get to me?"

"I won't let that happen." Gingerleap's tone changed and her face told Poppy that she meant what she said. The sudden change reverted itself and Gingerleap returned to the kind and jolly state. "I'll go get you a mouse."


End file.
